Scanners are generally handheld, sheet-fed or flatbed. Handheld scanners are held by a user and passed over a document or photograph to digitally scan its image. The image quality of a scan performed with a handheld scanner is largely dependent on the steadiness and alignment of the scan pass. Sheet-fed scanners are generally integrated into another device, such as a fax machine; scanning for output to a personal computer or similar device is a secondary function. The quality of images associated with a sheet-fed scanner is largely dependent on the ability of the feed mechanism to handle the article being scanned.
As relatively high resolution flatbed scanners have grown in popularity, handheld scanners have become largely obsolete, while sheet-fed scanners are relegated to the aforementioned secondary role. Flatbed scanners are configured similar to a copier. A document cover lid is opened, the item or media to be scanned is placed face down on a platen or document glass, and a mechanism disposed beneath the glass is activated to scan a digital image of the media. Typically the document cover is closed over the document or photo to hold the media in place and to shut out ambient light. Use of a flatbed scanner is generally not intuitive. Alignment and proper positioning of a photograph, document or other media to be scanned may be problematic to the computer neophile.
Necessarily, a flatbed scanner has a large “footprint” as it must accommodate a document or similar media laid flat. Although smaller flatbed scanners have been introduced, these scanners are generally sized to accept four inch by six inch, or smaller, photographs or similar media. This smaller type of scanner is particularly well suited for sending or sharing photographs with friends and family, via email. Therefore, these small format scanners are generally intended for non-computer users and are often adapted to facilitate attachment of a scanned image to an email using a television set top box such as a WebTV® device. These small format scanners generally use contact image sensor (CIS) technology.
Computer software, email and Internet traffic have become image intensive. Therefore, the use of scanners has become more prevalent. As broader use of scanner technology has developed, several barriers have arisen.